Ever since Gibson sang his heart out on that bus, he’s gained a lot of fans. But over the years, he’s also turned plenty of people off. Today, we’re not going to talk about all his relationship antics that have played out on social media – we’ve already covered those in previous videos linked in the description. Instead, we’ll dive into some of his extra messy moments with celebrities, online users, and even an innocent homeless person.
Tyrese’s Fast and Furious co-star Paul Walker tragically passed away in 2013. Tyrese told Arsenio Hall that he fell into a depression after losing Paul and took a 15-day trip to Dubai with Will Smith and some friends to help clear his mind and bring back his smile. Over the years, Tyrese has continued to honor his late friend in several ways and has also started to spill some major tea.
During an April 2023 interview with a morning hustle radio show, Tyrese revealed: “The woman who played Eva Mendes’ stunt double and I were both involved with the same girl on the set of 2 Fast 2 Furious without realizing it.” And you know what’s even crazier? Cindy confirmed in a 2017 interview with OK magazine: “Tyrese is sexy and freaky, and Paul was sweet and loving.”
When You Say Freaky, What Do You Mean?
“Um, he played his music, you know, his own music.”
But despite Cindy spilling the tea years before Tyrese went public about their escapades, fans of the late actor were furious with Tyrese. They were disappointed that he would share such personal information and urged him to keep quiet and let Paul rest in peace.
Homeless Woman Incident
In 2015, while promoting his album “Black Rose” in New York, Tyrese encountered a homeless woman resting against a tree. Instead of offering assistance, he used her as a prop for his social media content.
“Just don’t buy four albums no more. This is what R&B looks like. Hello?”
Online users were outraged that he was using and attempting to humiliate an innocent person for promotional clicks and laughs. Many pointed out that he could have at least given her a meal or some money. To make matters worse, Tyrese revealed on Facebook that he had once been homeless and used to beg for money in parking lots. Shockingly, the video is still up on his Instagram account.
My Black Queen Controversy
On Valentine’s Day 2017, Tyrese made a surprising announcement: he had secretly married Samantha Lee. He shared the news on Instagram with the hashtag #MyBlackQueen. However, this sparked controversy as some online users scrutinized Samantha’s appearance, questioning her identity as a “black queen.”
Critics accused Tyrese of misusing the hashtag and engaging in colorism, suggesting he was trying to elevate a woman who didn’t appear to be fully black. An Ebony writer pointed out that while Samantha is a woman of color, the issue highlighted deeper problems with colorism and how people interpreted Tyrese’s message.
In response, internet sleuths dug into Samantha’s background, discovering that she is of Ecuadorian, Jamaican, and African-American descent. Feeling vindicated, Tyrese shared TMZ’s article about her heritage on his Instagram, hoping to silence the critics and defend his choice of hashtag for his wife.
In March 2017, Tyrese went on a rant on Instagram after overhearing a group of women calling men stupid. He posted a picture of a mannequin with a lace front wig, saying men couldn’t be that dumb since they could tell the difference between real and fake hair, as well as real lashes versus extensions. He criticized women for their excessive use of chest enhancements, fake butts, fake lips, and overly slim noses. His female followers quickly fired back, mocking his bald head and telling him to mind his own business, with many threatening to boycott his projects. When asked by Hello Beautiful TV if he regretted his comments, Tyrese clarified that his statements were directed at all women, not just black women. He explained that his post was meant to highlight that men notice these enhancements and suggested that women should ease up on them.
Money
During a 2017 child custody battle with his ex-wife Norma, Tyrese claimed in a since-deleted Instagram post that Jada Pinkett and Will Smith had given him $5 million to help cover his legal fees. However, this wasn’t true. Sources told TMZ that the Smiths hadn’t given him any money, and friends of Tyrese expressed concern over his mental state. Tyrese later admitted that while he had discussed financial help with the Smiths, he never actually received any money. He apologized to Will and Jada both privately and publicly for involving them in the situation. Despite his apology, many labeled him a liar and an attention seeker. In a 2023 interview with Sway’s Universe, Tyrese explained that he was dealing with a bad reaction to depression medication, which caused him to make the false claim about the $5 million.
Drama
In 2013, music fans were ecstatic when TGT—a supergroup featuring Tyrese, Ginuwine, and Tank—released their debut album, Three Kings. The album earned nominations for the Grammy, BET, and Soul Train Awards. Unfortunately, it also became their first and last album. “We were together for a hot minute, put out one album, broke up, didn’t like each other, then liked each other again—you get the point,” Tank said on Drink Champs, describing the chaotic recording process. He added, “The only thing that kept me from fighting Tyrese was my manager, Jay Valentine.”
What caused all the drama? According to Tank, it was because he and Tyrese are both Capricorns and alpha males, leading to constant clashes. “I’d write a song and sing a verse, then come back the next day to find Tyrese had sung my part.” Despite their efforts to keep the tensions under wraps, Tyrese announced the group’s breakup on social media in 2015, catching Ginuwine by surprise. Ginuwine called Tyrese a diva and urged him to stop airing their dirty laundry online.
Fast forward to a 2023 episode of Tank and Jay Valentine’s R&B Money podcast, Tyrese revealed the group disbanded because he felt he deserved a larger share of the profits. Splitting the money three ways didn’t work for him at the time. While Tyrese and Tank are now on good terms, Tank felt it wasn’t right to discuss a second TGT album without Ginuwine’s consent. Ginuwine, currently enjoying his tour, might need significant incentives and apologies to consider working with Tyrese again.
Apology
In 2013, during an interview with All Hip-Hop about his documentary, A Black Rose That Grew Through Concrete, Tyrese was asked about his responsibility to inspire healthier lifestyles. His response sparked outrage: “If you are fat and nasty and you don’t like the way you look, do something about it. It’s simple.” He continued, “When you put your fat, nasty body in the shower and stay in until the mirror steams up so you don’t have to look at yourself, you need to change your life.”
His insensitive comments drew widespread criticism, prompting Tyrese to issue a partial apology on Twitter: “I’m not apologizing for what I said. I’m apologizing for the bad choice of wording and execution of my point around obesity.” He explained that his remarks came from a place of concern, noting that he was raised by a plus-sized mother and had plus-sized sisters.
Despite his explanation, many were still not convinced. What will Tyrese say or do next? We’ll have to wait and see.